McCormick claims first career pole

From Professional Motorsports Productions

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Brett McCormick of Saskatoon claimed his first career pole position in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship in qualifying for the fifth and sixth rounds of the series at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Friday.

The 16-year-old took his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R around the 2.56km (1.6-mile) track in one minute, 7.728 seconds during the Pirelli SuperPole session to lock up the $500 Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award.

"I did corner two well, I was able to carry great corner speed,” said McCormick, whose previous best qualifying effort was second at last year’s season finale. “We made a couple of changes to the front end just before the session. It was a gutsy call by my crew chief Jeremy Sharrard but the bike felt fine.”

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC qualified second on the Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 with a time of 1:07.766 and series points leader Jordan Szoke of Brantford, ON qualified third with a 1:07.772 on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R.

McCormick was forced onto teammate Szoke’s back-up bike after crashing his Kawasaki in the morning prequalifying period.

“I have to give a big thanks to Jordan and the rest of the Canadian Kawasaki team,” McCormick said. “We just swapped my settings over to the ‘B’ bike. The team worked really hard to get things ready for me.”

Lacombe was the last rider to take to the track during the single bike session after setting the pace during Saturday morning’s prequalifying but was unable to match his earlier time of 1:07.510.

“I made two mistakes that lap,” said Lacombe, who has won the Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award twice this year. “I missed my exit out of the hairpin and I had a big wobble on the backstraight. But I know we have a good set-up for the race tomorrow.”

Lacombe did manage to gain a point on Szoke in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship standings. He now has 161 points to the 198 of Szoke heading into this weekend’s pair of races. A race win is worth a maximum of 52 points and there is one round remaining after this weekend, Aug. 29-31 at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

Szoke said he almost crashed exiting turn two on his qualifying lap.

“I almost highsided,” said the two-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion. “The tire spun up and I was thrown up in the air. We’re lucky we got what we did. But we have a great bike for the race. I just wanted to be on the front row.

Clint McBain of Cochrane, AB completes the front row for the Superbike races after turning a lap of 1:07.880 on the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The second row consists of Calgary’s Chris Peris (Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000), Truro, NS rider Brian Blaauwendraat (T.R. Petroleum Enterprises / Lougheed’s Heating Oils Honda CBR600RR) and Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, QC (Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000).

Blaauwendraat turned a sensational lap on his three-year-old Honda in his first appearance in the Pirelli SuperPole session. The 23-year-old privateer is a contender for the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year award on the national tour.

“I don’t know where that lap came from,” Blaauwendraat said. “I didn’t think I could do it in one lap like that, but I felt I pieced it together well. My main goal in the races is to get a good start and try and hook onto those factory guys.”

Feature races will be held Saturday and Sunday at AMP.

Qualifying Results
1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:07.728;
2. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:07.766;
3. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:07.772;
4. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:07.880;
5. Chris Peris, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:08.091;
6. Brian Blaauwendraat, Truro, N.S., Honda CBR600RR, 1:08.278;
7. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:08.280;
8. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:08.314;
9. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Buell 1125R, 1:09.912;
10. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:10.368;
11. Todd Scott, Bedford, N.S., Honda CBR600RR, 1:09.813;
12. Bill Clark, Stillwater Lake, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:09.995;
13. Karl Daigle, Granby, Que., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:10.123;
14. Jeremy Stepper, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:10.513;
15. Andrew Dunlap, Truro, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:10.536;
16. Terry Steeves, Dartmouth, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:10.987;
17. Cory Canfield, Oakfield, N.S., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:11.069;
18. Gene McKay, Halifax, N.S., Honda CBR600RR, 1:11.399;
19. Franklyn Dominguez, Hudson, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:11.481;
20. Dave Young, Woodstock, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:11.920;
21. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 1:12.011;
22. Mark MacDonald, Sydney, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:13.769;
23. Zenon Nelson, Bowmanville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:13.964;
24. Dan Durckovic, Carleton Place, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:16.250